Tons Of Major International Airlines Are Canceling Israel Flights After Gaza Rocket Strike

Major US, European and Canadian airlines cancelled flights to and
from Israel after a rocket fired from Gaza struck near its main
international airport in Tel Aviv.

The cancellations highlighted heightened worldwide fears of a
rocket hitting a passenger jet in the wake of last week's downing
of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 over rebel-held eastern Ukraine
with nearly 300 on boar

That incident underscored the vulnerability of commercial
aircraft to surface-to-air missiles, even at cruising altitudes
in excess of 30,000 feet.

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
banned US airlines from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International
Airport for at least 24 hours, citing the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Delta, US Airways and United Airlines heeded the order, with
Delta diverting a Tel Aviv-bound Boeing 747 with 273 passengers
and 17 crew on board to Paris.

"Due to the potentially hazardous situation created by the armed
conflict in Israel and Gaza, all flight operations to/from Ben
Gurion International Airport by US operators are prohibited until
further advised," said the FAA's Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM,
issued shortly after 1600 GMT.

"This NOTAM will be updated within 24 hours," it added.

In an accompanying press statement, the FAA said it had
immediately notified US carriers when it learned of the rocket
strike.

Deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said it was likely
that the flight ban could be extended beyond 24 hours.

The FAA is expected to update its guidance later Wednesday.

US Airways said it plans to resume its direct flights from
Philadelphia to Tel Aviv on Thursday.

Flight 796, originally due to leave Philadelphia at 9:10 pm on
Wednesday (0110 GMT Thursday), arriving in Tel Aviv 11 hours
later, has been rescheduled for the following day, US Airways
said on its website.

It added the same was true for Flight 797, originally due to
depart Tel Aviv at 11:30 pm (2030 GMT) Wednesday, arriving in
Philadelphia 13 hours later.

US Airways flights to Tel Aviv are routed through Philadelphia.

Air France said it was canceling its Tel Aviv flights "until
further notice." Lufthansa said it was doing likewise, for 72
hours. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines suspended its services as well,
citing "security reasons."

Lufthansa explained that it was suspending its Tel Aviv service
"for the security of passengers and crew" amid the "unstable
situation" near the airport.

Air Canada also canceled service to and from Tel Aviv on Tuesday,
and said on Twitter it would "continue to evaluate going forward
& update."

British Airways and its low-cost rival EasyJet, however,
maintained their flights.

"We continue to operate as normal," a British Airways spokesman
said. "Safety and security are our highest priorities and we
continue to monitor the situation closely."

National carrier Royal Jordanian said on Wednesday it has
suspended flights to Tel Aviv.

The announcement by the airline, which operates 20 weekly flights
to Tel Aviv, was made in a short statement carried by state-run
Petra news agency.

- Rocket strike -

Prompting the rush of cancellations was a rocket fired from Gaza
which, according to Israeli police, struck north of the airport.

"A house was damaged in a rocket strike in the Kiryat Ono Yehud
region, several kilometers from the airport," police spokeswoman
Luba Samri told AFP.

Delta said it had diverted the Tel Aviv-bound flight after
"reports of a rocket or associated debris" near Ben Gurion
airport.

"Delta, in coordination with the US Federal Aviation
Administration, is doing so to ensure the safety and security of
our customers and employees," it said in a statement.

US Airways meanwhile told AFP in a Twitter exchange it had
canceled its flights Tuesday between Philadelphia and Tel Aviv
"in response to security concerns" at the airport in Tel Aviv.

And United said: "We're suspending operations to/from Tel Aviv
until further notice. We'll continue to evaluate the situation."

United was more discreet on its website, where it said its two
flights Tuesday to Tel Aviv from Newark airport outside New York
had been "canceled due to aircraft availability."

Delta, which links Tel Aviv with New York's John F. Kennedy
International Airport, said it was "working to reaccommodate"
passengers on its Paris-diverted flight.